Bible Verses
Work with your child and your students to learn each verse. Then, discuss the meaning of the verse and how it can be applied to everyday lives. On Sundays during class, riding in the car, or at dinner, it's fun to share stories of how the children have used the verse in their lives that week.

We provide memorization verses for each week. You can add your own.

Sunday July 1
2 Pet 2:19
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

• Who are “the servants of corruption”?
• What “bondage” are they talking about?
• What is “liberty” and where do we find it?

July 8
2 Pet 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

• What is “grace”?
• How do we grow in grace?
• What should we know about Jesus?
• Why is it important to know Jesus?

July 15
2 Pet 1:2
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

• Why would knowing God bring peace?
• How does a knowledge of God and His son make us gracious?
• List some examples of when Jesus was gracious.

July 22
2 Pet 1:16
For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

• What are “cunningly devised fables”?
• Have you ever heard one?
• What did Peter see in the majesty of Jesus?

July 29
2 Pet 2:9 (to ,)
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations,

• Who are the “godly”?
• How does God deliver us from temptation?
• What kinds of things might tempt you to do something wrong?

August 4
1 John 1:3
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

• What did John see and hear about Jesus?
• What is “fellowship”?
• Do you have fellowship with God and His Son?

Bible Stories
This month we are looking at the teachings of Jesus.

• Beatitudes Read Matt 5:3-13; Jesus, the Teacher; Jesus Preaches on a Mountain; Jesus Teaches the People; Jesus Gives the Beatitudes; The Twelve Disciples and the Sermon on the Mount
• Lord’s Prayer Read Matt 6:9-13; Jesus Teaches About Praying
• Parable of the Wise and Foolish builders Read Matt 7:24-27; Two Houses
• Parable of The Unforgiving Servant Read Matt 18:21-35; Some Stories that Jesus Told by the Sea
• Parable of the Sower Read Matt 13: 1-23; The Farmer’s Seeds
• Good Samaritan Read Luke 10:25-37; A Man Who Cared; The Good Samaritan; The Good Shepherd and the Good Samaritan.

Exercise:
Bring a packet of seeds to church. Have the children toss some seeds on the ground, parking lot, or grass, and then have a special pot with soil for them to plant some seeds. You can tend to it and bring it each Sunday or give the children their own little cups or pots with seeds. On the next Sunday, compare what happened to the seeds.

• Look for the seeds on the parking lot -- did they disappear or grow?
• What about the ones over by the rocks?
• What about around the grass?
• How are the seeds in the pot growing?

Go back over the parable as you explain our faith and love for God. Are we ready to let our love for God take root and grow deep?

Exercise:
Take all Jesus’ parables and put them on note cards. Have each student draw a card and give an example of how to use this parable today.

You can also do this with healings. This way they have an opportunity to think in depth about each lesson, event, and healing.

Exercise: Prayer - a great lesson:
One teacher gave each pupil (3-7 years old) a rag doll and asked each child to teach the doll how to pray. Listening in on this process is a precious experience but gives you a clear idea of where the child might need help in learning to talk to God. It is always helpful if the child realizes prayer is a conversation with God. It’s not just about talking but listening.

Exercise: Lord's Prayer Project
I want my Sunday school children to know the power and meaning within our most important prayer - the Lord's Prayer. I want them to understand that this simple prayer is the answer to every problem they may ever encounter. I want them to see how they could use the Lord's Prayer in their daily lives and how this one prayer could change the world.

What better way than to turn this into a bulletin board project! Creating a bulletin board demands deeper thought and action than simply answering a question in class, and the Lord's Prayer deserves this attention. There are many different forms this could take. For instance, take each line of the Lord's Prayer and create a whole board around this one thought. You could devote the board to one line a month, or one line a week. This could be a joint Sunday school project with everyone working together, or you could assign each class its own line for its own board. The possibilities are endless, but here are a few ideas to get you going:

• What does this mean to me? Have the children write down, in their own words, what the Lord's Prayer means to them. Write down specific ways they can incorporate this into their daily lives. These can be written on colored poster board and cut into different shapes. The younger children can draw pictures to illustrate an idea.
  
  
• How have other Bibles and Bible commentaries recorded and interpreted the Lord's Prayer? Look and compare several different Bibles, i.e., The King James, The New Testament Modern English, The Message. Take your favorite versions and post them on the board.
  
  
• Interview different people in the church and community to see how they use the Lord's Prayer in their lives. It would be interesting to include a variety of people from different walks of life and from different Christian churches in the community. You could take a picture of the person and post his/her quote or experiences next to the picture.
  
  
• Turn the Lord's Prayer into a healing message. Research how turning to the Lord's Prayer has healed people. You will be amazed at how many people in your own church or community can give you healings. Record these healings and post them on the board with related pictures.
  
  
• Show a correlation between the Lord's Prayer and healing in the Bible. Give an example of a healing and how it relates to the Lord's Prayer. For example, the feeding of the multitudes by Jesus would apply to "Give us this day our daily bread." Have the younger classes draw pictures of these healings.
  
  
• Heal world problems. Take a community or world problem and show how this prayer could apply. Take an article from the paper to illustrate the problem, and then give examples of how this has been healed in the Bible, in your church, and your community. Again, you will be amazed at how many people have used "Give us this day our daily bread" to solve their own need for supply.
  
  
• Challenge your church and Sunday school class to use the Lord's Prayer for peace. How does the Lord's Prayer protect us? Use the board to record and share the experience, including comments and results.
  
  
• Create a comment corner. Provide a space where people can write down their own comments and inspiration. Have a supply of blank index cards that they can write on and stick on the board.

Remember that our goal is to have the children have a deeper understanding of the Lord's Prayer, and the bulletin board might be just the vehicle! — Sally S. Johnston

Exercise: Beatitudes
In April and May of 2005, Jeanne Sparks was asked to create a series of eight exercises to better understand the beatitudes We’ve had enough interest to run it again. There is enough material here for all summer. Select the exercises that best work for your classes.

The “Be Attitudes” are all about being honest and sincere. These “attitudes” change our character (Beatitudes 1-4) and guide us in getting along with others (Beatitudes 5-8). Beatitudes are the stepping stones to better thinking, better behaving, better healing, and better relationships.

Review:

• Who taught them? [JESUS]
• What are beatitudes? [Rules of happiness]
• When were they taught? [1st century AD—about 2000 years ago, but still applicable today]
• Where would you find the Beatitudes? [Matt 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-26]
• Why are they important? [They summarize Jesus’ teachings, represented by how he lived and how he healed sin, disease, and death.]
• How are the Beatitudes constructed? [Each has a REQUIREMENT to be met in order to receive the REWARD]

REVIEW OF THE FIRST BEATITUDE:
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Qualities of “the poor in spirit”:

• Teachable
• Humble
• Willing to trust God completely
• Receptive
• Realizing the need to daily look to God for any and every answer

Qualities of “the kingdom of heaven”:

• Abundance
• Happiness
• Harmony
• Fun
• Success
• Adventure

What doesn’t get to go into the kingdom?

• Pride, Fear, Ignorance – because they make one rich in material thinking, which keeps us spiritually poor.
• Negative attitudes (poor in spirit) hide God’s presence, but a change in thinking instantly shows the kingdom of heaven is within us—here, right now.

Paraphrasing of Beatitude # 1

• Happy are those who trust in God and are humble enough to ask for His guidance in everything that needs to be done; for they accept the rewards of living closely with God.
• Happy are those who recognize that material riches are of no help and that they are ready, willing, and able to be obedient to God’s abundant plan for them.

Exercise: Create your own paraphrase of Matt 5:3
Matt 5:3 There are many different ways of looking at this beatitude and working with it.

Exercise:
Help the students to create posters to help remember the beatitude. Jeanne Sparks created this one for her pupils:

• INSTANTANEOUS ADVENTURE
• ABUNDANCE
• HAPPINESS
• HARMONY
• FUN
• PERFECTION
• SUCCESS
• Offered daily to anyone who is:
  • Teachable
  • Humble
  • Trusts God enough to give up:
    • Pride
    • Ignorance
    • Fear
    • Bad habits
    • Bad attitudes

Help the students find an easy way to remember the beatitudes. Here is an example of an equation to remember the first beatitude.

Matt 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

PS=KH

P(oor) in S(pirit) = K(ingdom) of H(eaven)

You might want to create a picture pneumonic [ happy are the poor in spirit – for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.]

Eugene Peterson interprets the verse like this: “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.”

Exercise: SECOND BEATITUDE:
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Qualities of “mourning”:

• Tears of repentance
• Willingness to release
  • A broken heart
  • Emotional hurt
  • Sadness
  • Unhappiness
• Sorrow for wrong doing
• Repentance for inappropriate or dishonest behavior
• Readiness to reconcile with God

Qualities of being “comforted”:

• Feelings of peace
• Feeling forgiven
• Feelings that everything is fine
• Courage and freedom to move forward
• Redemption
• At-one-ment with God, and the understanding that good can never be lost because God is good and all that He made is very good (Gen 1:31)

Paraphrasing of Beatitude # 2

• Happy are those who have done something wrong and are ready to not repeat it, for they are forgiven.
• Happy can be those who are really sad for whatever reason, because they can instantly feel God’s loving arms around, beneath, and above them and everyone, arms that are always holding them securely and gently.

Exercise: Create your own paraphrase of Matt 5:4

Exercise:
Use the style of the “rewards” poster in Activities or create your own posters.

• INSTANTANEOUS FORGIVENESS
• LOTS OF HUGS
• HAPPINESS
• SECURITY
• GOOD, WARM, COZY FEELINGS OF BEING LOVED AND CARED FOR

Exercise:
Contine to create beatitude equations or picture pneumonics to help remember the Beatitudes.

In what ways have you learned how to remember the Beatitudes?

Try the equation exercise for the second Beatitude.

Create your own equations for Matt 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

  What about a picture pneumonic?

  Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.

  It is a wonderful promise that whenever we are feeling sad, God is always there to provide a way for us to be comforted.

• Name some Bible characters who were sad.
  • Who comforted them? How?
  • How can we comfort or aid victims of disasters (storms, fires, floods)?
  • Is there anyone in your life, home, church, neighborhood who needs comforting?

Exercise: THIRD BEATITUDE:
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Qualities of “meek”:

• Quietly, but firmly, positive
• No weakness, but strength
• Letting go of previous hurts, losses or failures—all the baggage
• Gentle
• Self-controlled with no temper tantrums
• Trusting as the lambkin trusts and follows the shepherd

Qualities of “inheritances”:

• Free gifts that have to be claimed by proving your identity
• Qualities received
• Conditions or traits from past generations
• Our God-given inheritance is only good and healthy

Paraphrasing of Beatitude # 3

• Happy are those who are letting go of their anger and hurts, for they shall experience wonderful things taking place in their lives.
• Happy are those who claim the dominion that is their spiritual heritage, for their lives will be healthy, exciting, and successful.

Exercise:
Create your own paraphrase of the third beatitude – Matt 5:5

Exercise: Create a poster or pneumonic for the third Beatitude.

• INSTANTANEOUS FREE GIFTS FROM GOD, INCLUDING:
  • DOMINION OVER
    • SIN
    • DISEASE
    • DEATH
• HAPPY, SUCCESSFUL LIFE
• EVERYTHING YOU NEED OR WILL EVER NEED IS GIVEN FREELY!
• Offered daily to all who show:
  • Self-control
  • Gentleness as a lamb
  • Quiet strength

CLAIM YOUR INHERITANCE NOW BY DIALING: 4-6-3 (G – O – D)

Exercise: Practice writing an equation for this beatitude.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Exercise: FOURTH BEATITUDE:

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Qualities of “hunger”:

• Need
• Eagerness
• Strong desire
• Passionate concern
• Super focused

Qualities of “thirst”:

• Eagerness
• Moisture
• Craving

Qualities of “filled”:

• Satisfied
• Fully supplied
• Complete
• Enough

Note: Eating and drinking are necessities of life. God does not starve us.

Paraphrasing of Beatitude # 4

• Happy are those who have a passionate concern and eagerness for goodness and justice, for they shall be completely satisfied with everything.
• Happy are those who are really focused and craving for every event of their lives to be right; for they shall be fully supplied with right friends, home, career, and abundance.

Exercise: Create your own paraphrase of the fourth beatitude – Matt 5:6

Exercise: Create a Reward poster for the above beatitude.

• INSTANTANEOUS COMPLETE SUPPLY OF ANY AND EVERY NEED
• Offered daily to all who eagerly stay super focused on right motives and acts.
  

Exercise: Create an equation for the verse below or a picture to help you remember this beatitude.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Exercise: Fifth Beatitude
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Qualities of “merciful”:

• Recognizing a need and acting upon it
• Being able to “walk in someone else’s shoes”—thinking and feeling as that individual does
• Loving and appreciating others because God is Love and man is His image and likeness
• Loving unconditionally
• Forgiving and forgetting—not holding something over someone’s head
• Doing unto others as we would have them do unto us

Qualities of “mercy”:

• Compassion
• Tenderness
• Pardoning
• Prosperity
• Lovingly blessed
• Reflection of love back to us as we love others

Paraphrasing of Beatitude # 5

• Happy are those who sincerely show their care and concern for others, for others will show care and concern for them.
• Happy are those who always praise the good thoughts and actions of others, for they will be praised rather than criticized for their thoughts and actions.

Exercise: Create your own paraphrase of Matt 5:7

Exercise:
There are many different ways of looking at this Beatitude and working with it.

Help the students create posters to help remember the Beatitude. Jeanne Sparks created this one for her pupils:

Referring to the explanations above, create R E W A R D posters.

Example for the fifth Beatitude –

• INSTANTANEOUS APPRECIATION FOR YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL
• Offered daily to all who:
  • Appreciate others for the good they express.

Exercise: How would you write an equation for:

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Exercise: THE SIXTH BEATITUDE:
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Qualities of “pure”:

• Being clean inside in thought and in speaking (not swearing)
• Magnifying the good
• Being natural
• Serving only one master
• Cleansing daily to be at one with God
• Having clean moral values and motives
• Being spotless, without blemish

Qualities of “heart”:

• Referring to the center of thinking, feeling
• Center of our being
• Pure throughout
• Place where moral decisions are made

Qualities of “see”:

• Understanding God’s spiritual nature
• Perceiving good up close and far off—everywhere
• Experiencing daily all the attributes of God and His abundance

Paraphrasing of Beatitude # 6

• Happy are those who continually and honestly clean up their acts, for they shall experience all good in every area of their lives.
• Happy are those who magnify the good all around them, for they will understand God’s goodness everywhere and in every thing.

Exercise: Example for the sixth beatitude –

• INSTANTANEOUS GOOD IN EVERYTHING YOU:
  • THINK
  • SEE
  • AND DO.
• Offered daily to all who are:
  • Clean in all their
    • Thinking,
    • Speaking,
    • Acting.
  • Who truly want to see good all over and over all.

Exercise: Break The Code And Discover The Hidden Beatitude! Using the code breaker below, decipher the message from Jesus!

Print/Download Break the Code
Print/Download Break the Code Answer Sheet

Exercise: Try the equation exercise for the sixth Beatitude.

Create your own equations for Matt 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Exercise: Create a picture pneumonic to help you remember the Beatitude.

Blessed are pure in heart:
for they shall see God.

Exercise: THE SEVENTH BEATITUDE:

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Qualities of “peacemakers”:

• Overcome evil with good actively
• Find satisfaction in removing hatred and reconciling enemies
• Help any and all find the highest good in every situation
• Lay aside their own selfish ambitions and seek to glorify God in all they do—their motives and acts
• Make love a priority in attitudes and behavior
• Do not gossip, agitate, rabble rouse, hassle or cause trouble
• Bring harmony and blessings to others

Qualities of “children”:

• Innocent
• Pure
• Receptive
• Eager to learn
• Perfect reflections of God (Genesis 1)

Paraphrasing of Beatitude # 7

• Happy are those who focus on expressing love to all, for hatred will just melt away.
• Happy are those who work for the best interests of everyone, for they shall all experience abundance and good in all aspects of their daily lives.

Exercise:
Create your own paraphrase of the seventh Beatitude – Matt 5:9

Exercise:
Practice writing an equation for this Beatitude.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Exercise: Example for the seventh Beatitude –

• INSTANTANEOUS
  • Satisfaction,
  • Harmony,
  • Joy,
  • Good, solid relationships.
• Offered daily to all who are willing to help any and all find the highest good in every situation.

Exercise: The Eighth Beatitude:

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Qualities of “persecuted”:

• Tormented
• Pestered
• Bugged
• Punished unnecessarily
• Harassed
• Tortured
• Mistreated

Qualities of “revile”:

• Verbal abuse
• Disparaging remarks
• Put downs

Paraphrasing of Beatitude # 8

• Happy are those who remain calm when being harassed because they are proving that evil has no power or presence to disrupt their happiness.
• Happy are those who understand the abusive attacks on them are not personal but merely an attempt to distract them from their at-one-ment with God.

Exercise: Create your own paraphrase of the eighth Beatitude – Matt 5:10

Exercise: Example for the EIGHTH BEATITUDE –

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

• INSTANTANEOUS SENSE OF PEACE, HARMONY AND JOY WITHIN
• Offered daily to all who are mistreated, harassed, and subject to verbal abuse because of following in Jesus’ footsteps.

Exercise: Create an equation for the verse below or a picture to help you remember this Beatitude.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Exercise:
Help the students complete the fill in the blanks exercise as you discuss each Beatitude.

Print/Download Fill in the Blanks
Print/Download Fill in the Blanks Answer Sheet

Exercise: Take 4x6 note cards and write one word from the Beatitudes on each card. You can mix them all up and have the students draw cards until they can make a Beatitude or all the Beatitudes.

Ex. Blessed are those that mourn; for they shall be comforted.

Exercise: Beatitude Reflections

Print/Download Beatitude Reflections
Print/Download Beatitude Reflections Answer Sheet

Exercise: Lord’s Prayer Puzzle

Print/Download Lord's Prayer Puzzle
Print/Download Lord's Prayer Puzzle Answer Sheet

Exercise: Talking to God (Lord’s Prayer)

Print/Download Talking to God
Print/Download Talking to God Answer Sheet

Exercise: The Unforgiving Servant

Print/Download The Unforgiving Servant
Print/Download The Unforgiving Servant Answer Sheet

Exercise: Treating Others

Print/Download Treating Others
Print/Download Treating Others Answer Sheet

Exercise: The Sower

Print/Download The Sower

Exercise: The Good Samaritan Crossword

Print/Download The Good Samaritan Crossword
Print/Download The Good Samaritan Crossword Answer Sheet

Exercise: Muddled Facts Good Samaritan

Print/Download Muddled Facts
Print/Download Muddled Facts Answer Sheet

Exercise: Find the Good Samaritan

Print/Download Find the Good Samaritan
Print/Download Find the Good Samaritan Answer Sheet

Exercise: 2 Peter 3:18

Print/Download 2 Peter 3:18
Print/Download 2 Peter 3:18 Answer Sheet

Beatitudes Read Matt 5:3-13; Jesus, the Teacher; Jesus Preaches on a Mountain; Jesus Teaches the People; Jesus Gives the Beatitudes; The Twelve Disciples and the Sermon the Mount

• Who taught the beatitudes? [JESUS]
• What are beatitudes? [Rules of happiness]
• Where would you find the beatitudes? [Matt 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-26]
• Think about the phrase – be attitudes.
• Why should we study the beatitudes?
• How are the beatitudes constructed? [Each has a REQUIREMENT to be met in order to receive the REWARD]
• What kinds of attitudes are there?
• Have you ever heard some say, “I don’t like your attitude?” or “Don’t give me attitude!?”
• What is a bad attitude?
  • Name a public figure, athlete, movie star with a bad attitude.
  • Name some Bible characters with bad attitudes.
• What is a good attitude?
  • Name a public figure, athlete, movie star with a good attitude.
  • Name some Bible figures with good attitudes
• Which kind of attitude would you prefer to be around?
• What was Jesus asking us to do with these beatitudes?
• If we want to be happy, we need a good attitude.
  • How do we get a good attitude?
    • Can you buy attitude?
    • If you need to improve your attitude, where would you start?

Matt 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

• How could you use this verse?
• Discuss being poor in spirit.
• Describe the kingdom of heaven.
• What does “blessed” mean? [Happy]
• What makes you happy?
• What kind of happiness do you think Jesus was talking about?
• Read Matt. 5: 3-12 from two or three different translations.

Other translations indicate that when people are poor in spirit, they are ready to listen to God. They are willing to give up on “their own will” and trust God’s will for their lives.

• List some people we’ve studied in the Bible who yielded to God’s will.
• Name some Bible characters who were good listeners.
• How can you be a good listener?
• What does it require to be poor in spirit?

Matt 5:4
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

• Have you ever had an argument with a friend and then wished you hadn’t said something?
• Have you ever wanted to take back something you said to a family member?
• Have you ever made a mistake and tried to hide it?
• Did you miss getting on a team, or getting a grade you thought you deserved?
• What else might make you feel unhappy?
• Aren’t Jesus’ words wonderful, showing that when we feel awful about something, God is right there to comfort us?
  • What does it mean to comfort?
  • Have you ever felt comforted by God’s love?
  • Have you ever comforted someone else?

Matt 5:5
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

• What does it mean to be “meek”?
• Name some Bible characters who demonstrated meekness.
• Name some Bible characters who needed to learn meekness.
• Are you meek?
• Do you want to be meek?
• What kind of a reward is inheriting the earth?

Matt 5:6
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

• Have you ever been hungry? Thirsty?
  • For how long?
  • What did it take for you to be filled?
• Have you ever really been hungry to achieve something?
  • Winning a game or race?
  • Getting an A on a test or paper?
  • Going on a vacation?
• How could you use this verse?
• Are you happy when you’re hungry?
• Why do you think Jesus would want us to be hungry and thirsty for goodness?
• What kind of a meal is that?
• The reward says we’ll be fully satisfied – what does that mean?
• How filling is goodness?
• Name some figures in the Bible who really hungered after righteousness.
  • What about the three wise-men – what were they hungering to find?
  • What about the Prodigal son?
  • What about the woman who touched Jesus’ garment hem?
  • Or the blind men calling after Jesus?

Matt 5:7
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

• List some people we’ve studied in the Bible who were merciful.
  • Joseph with his brothers
  • Esau, when Jacob returned after years of flight
  • David with King Saul
  • Ruth and Boaz
  • David and Abigail
    • I’m sure you can name many more

Examine some news stories. Select age appropriate stories and discuss how mercy might heal the situation.

When do we need to use mercy?

• Take the following scenario: Your brother is always asking to play with your Game Boy. When you were playing soccer, he took it and lost it.
  • What would you do?
  • How could you be merciful?
  • Why would you want to be merciful?
• Another scenario: You were throwing a ball in the house and it hit your mother’s favorite vase and broke it to pieces.
  • What do you do?
  • Would you ask for mercy? Forgiveness?
    • Are mercy and forgiveness the same?
  • How would you want your mom to act?
• The above two scenarios show giving and asking for mercy.
  • Which is easier to do? Why?
  • Why is it important to learn mercy?

Matt 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

• Who are the pure in heart?
• What does it take to have a pure heart?
• Why would you be happy with a pure heart?
• What is the reward for being pure?
• How do we “see” God?
• Do you want to see God? Why?
• How do we see God everyday?
• Name some Bible characters who were pure in heart.
  • How do you know that?
  • Name some Bible characters who saw God.
  • What were they doing when they saw God?
  • How do we see God?

Matt 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

• What is a peacemaker?
• When are you a peacemaker?
• Name some peacemakers you know at school. Church. Home. Or in the news.
• Why do we need peacemakers?
  • What award is given once a year to a peacemaker? [Nobel Peace Prize]
• Is being called a child of God a good reward for being a peace maker?
• Who are children of God?
• Name some peacemakers in the Bible.
  • What was the situation?
  • How did they bring peace?
  • Did you know that peace maker in Greek meant to practice the presence of God?
    • How would you practice the presence of God?

Matt 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

• What is a peacemaker?
• When are you a peacemaker?
• Name some peacemakers you know at school. Church. Home. Or in the news.
• Why do we need peacemakers?
  • What award is given once a year to a peacemaker? [Nobel Peace Prize]
• Is being called a child of God a good reward for being a peace maker?
• Who are children of God?
• Name some peacemakers in the Bible.
  • What was the situation?
  • How did they bring peace?
  • Did you know that peace maker in Greek meant to practice the presence of God?
    • How would you practice the presence of God?

Matt 5:10
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

• How did Jesus handle persecution?
• What good things do you do that cause people to persecute you or make fun of you?
• Why would Jesus want us to be happy to be persecuted for his sake?
• Name some figures in the Bible who were persecuted. [Stephen, Paul, Jesus, Peter, James, John, Daniel, Joseph, David, Jacob, the three Hebrew boys – add more to the list.]
  • Why were they persecuted?
• What kind of a reward is getting the kingdom of heaven?

Lord’s Prayer Read Matt 6:9-13; Jesus Teaches About Praying;

• Take it apart line by line.
  • Who is our Father?
  • Where is He?
  • Why should His name be hallowed?
  • What does “hallow” mean?
  • Whose kingdom is it?
  • Where is it?
  • What are we grateful for on a daily basis?
  • Why should we ask for forgiveness?
  • Why do we want God to help us not be led into temptation?
  • What did Jesus do when he was tempted? [quoted scripture – got as close to God as possible]
  • Who does the kingdom, the power, and the glory belong to?
  • How have you used this prayer in your life?

Parable of the Wise and Foolish builders Read Matt 7:24-27; Two Houses

• What is a parable?
• What are comparable to parables today?
• Describe what makes a man wise.
• What makes a man foolish?
• Which type of house would you build?
• Why shouldn’t we build on sand?
• What is “sand” thinking and acting like?
• What is “rock” thinking?
• Why is “rock” thinking better?
• What was Jesus teaching us?

Parable of The Unforgiving Servant Read Matt 18:21-35; Some Stories that Jesus Told by the Sea

• Jesus tells this parable in response to Peter’s question. What did Peter ask?
• So how often are we supposed to forgive someone?
• You think seventy times seven may be a lot, but when two sevens are used in the New Testament, it means infinity. That means we have to forgive forever. Why do you think Jesus didn’t let us have a specific number?
• Retell the parable of the unforgiving servant.
  • What did he do wrong?
  • Why was it all right for him to be forgiven but not to forgive others?
  • What request is in the Lord’s prayer about forgiveness?
  • Do we really want to be forgiven by God the way we may forgive others?
  • Why is forgiveness so important?
  • Who can you forgive today? (Don’t forget yourself!)

Parable of the Sower Read Matt 13: 1-23; The Farmer’s Seeds

• What is a parable? [Matt 13:3]
• Why did Jesus speak to the people using parables? [Matt 13:10-17]
• What is the meaning of the parable of the sower and the seeds? [Matt 13:18-23]
• How could you explain that story today?
• What are some of the cares of the world?
• Who tries to take the seed out of the heart?
• What is stony thinking? [Ever think of it as Yes, but? We say “Yes, God exists, but I still have this problem…”]
• What kind of thorny experiences keep the Word of God from growing in us? [“I’m too busy to read the Bible today.” “I don’t have time to pray.”]
• How can we be rich soil for the Word of God to be planted in?
• Are you willing to let the Word grow in you?
• How will you do that?

Good Samaritan Read Luke 10:25-37; A Man Who Cared; The Good Samaritan; The Good Shepherd and the Good Samaritan.

• Who challenged Jesus?
• What are the two great commandments?
• How does Jesus define "neighbor”?
• Who is our neighbor?
• What kind of story does he tell the lawyer? (parable)
• Retell the story.
  • o Who might the people be today?
    • What if the injured person were someone from a different ethnic group than you? Would you stop to help?
    • Why do you think the two Jews walked away from him?
    • Describe the Samaritan.
    • Why was it so unusual for him to stop and tend to the man's wounds?
    • What did the lawyer learn from this parable?
    • What lessons did you learn from this parable?
    • How can we all express more compassion and care for one another?